For my last Oktoberfest trip down memory lane, I wanted to add Jaeger Schnitzel. I’m a huge fan of anything that has Schnitzel in its name. Jaeger Schnitzel is no exception. Jaeger Schnitzel or Jägerschnitzel means hunter’s schnitzel. It’s a schnitzel topped with a mushroom sauce. It may or may not be breaded. My personal preference is the breaded variety.

Jaeger Schnitzel was originally made with venison or wild boar that was pounded thin. Now, it’s generally made with pork. One can use pork chops, pork loin, or my favorite, pork tenderloin. Interestingly, chicken fried steak is thought to be an adaptation of this dish brought to America by German immigrants.

Ingredients for Jaeger Schnitzel:

I used the following ingredients for the schnitzel: Pork tenderloin, all-purpose flour, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, milk, egg, breadcrumbs, and peanut oil for frying. You could also use vegetable oil.

For the Mushroom Sauce, I used low sodium chicken broth, Bisto, sour cream, unsalted butter, fresh mushrooms, and Madeira. You could also use cornstarch in place of the Bisto, and Dry Marsala in place of the Madeira.

Preparing the Pork for the Jaeger Schnitzel:

I removed the silver skin and residual fat from the pork tenderloin. Then, I butterflied the tenderloin by slicing it horizontally with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut all the way through. Next, I covered the pork tenderloin in plastic wrap, and pounded it to about ¼-inch. Then, I cut the pork into serving-size pieces.

Breading the Pork for the Jaeger Schnitzel:

As far as the breading, I started by adding the flour, salt, and pepper to a Ziploc bag. Then, I combined the milk and egg in a dish. Next, I added the breadcrumbs to another dish. The actual breading goes like this: (1) coat pork in flour; (2) dip the coated pork in milk/egg mixture; (3) coat the pork again in flour; (4) dip the coated pork again in the milk/egg mixture; and (5) finally, coat the pork in breadcrumbs. Once I had breaded the pork, I placed it in single layers on a wax paper lined plate. I refrigerated the pork for at least an hour to allow the breading to set.

Cooking the Jaeger Schnitzel:

To cook the schnitzel, I heated about ½ cup of peanut oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. I cooked several pieces of the breaded pork at a time, first on one side until golden brown and then on the other side until golden brown. This took 5 to 6 minutes per side. When the pork was done, I transferred it to a plate lined with paper towels and allowed it to drain while I cooked the rest of the pork.

Making the Mushroom Sauce:

While the pork was cooking, I combined the chicken broth, Bisto, and sour cream in a measuring cup, and set it aside.

Then, when all of the pork was cooked, I poured the remaining oil from the skillet, and added the unsalted butter. I turned the heat up to high, and added the mushrooms. I cooked the mushrooms, stirring frequently until all of their liquid had evaporated. This took several minutes. After that, I added the Madeira, and continued cooking the mushrooms over high heat until most of the Madeira had evaporated. This took several additional minutes. Finally, I lowered the heat to medium and added the chicken broth mixture. I cooked the mushroom sauce, stirring frequently until it was thick and bubbly.

Serving the Jaeger Schnitzel.

I served the pork schnitzel with the mushroom sauce spooned over it, along with German Fried Potatoes & Onions on the side. What a perfect Oktoberfest meal! My mind traveled back to sitting outside of a German bistro in Munich sipping beer and savoring the flavors of an incredible meal. Yum!